Automated External Defibrillators
House Bill 92 by Rep. Dan Branch (R- Dallas) and Sen. Jane Nelson
(R-Lewisville) requires any person or organization receiving a
defibrillator to ensure it is delivered by a licensed professional
in the line of his or her work or by prescription. This requirement
is specific to defibrillators not already approved by the Food and
Drug Administration for over-the-counter sale. It also requires
that the sell or lease of a defibrillator is done in accordance
with the Health and Safety Code.
Stem Cells, Umbilical Cord Blood, Organ
Donation/Transplantation
House Bill 709 by Rep. Robert Puente (D- San Antonio) and Senator
Nelson requires the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to
develop a brochure on umbilical cord blood options and post it on
its Web site. The information in the brochure would cover uses,
risks, collection processes, costs, and benefits to a recipient of
donated stem cells, and storage in a private family blood bank for
use by family members. Physicians could request the brochure.
Physicians or other persons attending the pregnant woman shall
provide the brochure to the woman before the third trimester. A
stipulation was made that the brochure does not have to be
distributed by the attending physician or health care professional
based on their religious beliefs, as long as the health
professional tells the mother in a reasonable period. There also is
a stipulation for no liability for failure to comply with this
law.
Senate Bill 1500 by Sen. Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) and Rep.
Jodie Laubenberg (R-Wylie) amends the Health and Safety Code to
change the name of the Donor Education, Awareness, and Registry
Program of Texas to "Glenda Dawson Donate Life Texas Registry."
Kidney Disease
House Bill 1373 by Rep. Ryan Guillen (D-San Diego) and Senator
Zaffirini create the Chronic Kidney Disease Task Force at DSHS. The
aim is to develop a plan to educate health care professionals about
early screening, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic kidney disease
and complications; advantages of end-stage renal disease modality
education; early renal replacement therapy; and transplantation.
The task force would make recommendations on the implementation of
a cost-effective plan for early screening, diagnosis, and treatment
of chronic kidney disease for the state's population. At least six
of the task force members must be physicians.
Diseases of the Blood
Senate Bill 1566 by Sen. Dan Patrick (R-Houston) and Rep. Jim
Jackson (R-Carrollton) calls for the creation of the Texas Bleeding
Disorders Advisory Council. The council would include as non-voting
members the Commissioner of State Health Services and the
Commissioner of Insurance, or their designees, and nine voting
members (to include a physician) appointed jointly by the
Commissioners of State Health Services and Insurance. The council
shall study and advise the department and the Texas Department of
Insurance on issues that affect the health and wellness of persons
living with hemophilia and other bleeding and/or clotting
disorders. A report to the governor, lieutenant governor, and the
speaker of the House of Representatives is due Dec. 1, 2008.
House Calendar Resolution 127 by Rep. John Zerwas (R-Katy) and
Sen. Kyle Janek, MD (R-Houston), designates September 2007 as
Leukemia and Lymphoma Awareness Month. The purpose of the
designation is to encourage public support for educational and
research activities to cure these types of cancer. Blood-related
cancers currently affect more than 700,000 Americans. Each year,
110,000 new cases are diagnosed. The Leukemia & Lymphoma
Society is the world's largest voluntary health organization.
Medical Science Close Calls
House Bill 225 by Rep. Ken Paxton Jr. (R- McKinney) would have
prohibited the use of state money for biomedical research when
federal law prohibits the use of federal money for that research,
per Jan. 1, 2007. The bill passed in the House State Affairs
Committee but failed to move to the House floor.
Medical Science/Quality TMA Staff Team:
Legislative: Michelle Romero
Policy: Nancy Bieri and Audra Bryant
Legal: Lee Spangler and Kelly Walla
Overview
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Managed Care/Insurance Reform
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Scope of Practice
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Retail Health Clinics
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Responsible Ownership
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Corporate Practice of Medicine
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Health Care Funding
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Medicaid, CHIP, and the
Uninsured
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Public Health
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Border Health
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Mental Health
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Emergency Medical Services and
Trauma Care
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Rural Health
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Physician Workforce, Licensure,
and Discipline
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Health Information Technology
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Prescription Drugs
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Long-Term Care
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Workers' Compensation
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Abortion
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Franchise Tax Reform